Do you feel consulted by the government?

They don't come and knock on asking for me to read through their proposed bills over a pot of tea, but I feel consulted yes.

As well as the now dated methods of local surgeries, press releases and a dedicated TV channel showing me what they are doing at work for me, they now have extensive websites, tweets, feeds, YT Channels etc. That is their side of the bargain and it costs us (tax payers) quite a lot to have so much coverage and access to that information. The other side of that deal is that if you don't like what they are doing or proposing you are supposed to let them know - but I suspect that silence is generally taken as agreement.

I don't mind it this way. Though it's a crying shame that so many choose to empower corrupt politicians, devalue their own active participation and accelerate their own loss of personal responsibility by not playing their part.

I am far more concerned about Camerons "big society" plan to "take power away from politicians and give power back to the people". Because I don't for one minute think that means that the politicians are going to help us cut spending by quitting Westminster and getting another job. I expect they have worked out that adding another layer distances themselves from blame and ought make them more palatable in the short term. I expect that it will become just another layer of public office, filled with men in short aprons and CP types that will fall on a sword when someone needs to take a hit. But what bothers me most, I expect this may be the final effort in being 'seen' to cater democracy to the 'great unwashed' - after all, for the most part we don't show any interest in taking part! Can you seriously claim that they haven't done 'all in their power' to represent you? Maybe all the press releases can stop after they "give power back to the people". You may no longer need to know anything 'important' - your representative could do that for you!

Do I feel consulted by the government? At present, yes.
Do I feel the consulted represent themselves? No.

Much as I have come to mistrust politicians, I just can't come to blame them for not representing the generally mute UK electorate. Painful as that is to admit, Brits need to catch onto the fact that we have to do more than choose not to vote every now and then to be heard!

Democracy is something you take part in. Tyranny is something you complain about.

Peace & Best Wishes

Freegionnaire